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On the flip side, his girlfriend isn’t quite as understanding.
Bree frowns, her eyes narrow with suspicion. Garnering her endorsement will be more of a challenge. I assume she’s been dicked over before so she’s protective. I’m fine with that because I feel the same way about the woman we all care about.
Alex motions toward the door. “Where’s Casey?”
“I put him where garbage belongs.”
Bree stands up and glances from him to me. “I think we should call the police. This is assault and we should report it.”
Not sure if she means what the bastard did to Seraphina or what I did to him. Maybe both. Doesn’t matter. I’ll dole out justice my own way but won’t stop her from doing what she thinks she needs to do. “Sure, go ahead.”
Seraphina’s head twists as she lifts up from my chest. “No, that’s not necessary. He’s gone and that’s all I care about.”
He’s never coming back either. I cup her warm face. “It’s whatever you want. That’s allIcare about.”
Her sad smile fills my palms. She wants to be my good girl despite her trauma. I tip closer to her. “I just want you to be okay, so we’ll do whatever that takes.”
Bree still wants to argue and jerks her gaze to Alex. “What do you think?”
The boyfriend blows out a long sigh. “Let me go talk to him and then we can decide, I guess.”
Their reasons for hesitation differ from mine. They want to believe this is all a misunderstanding, give him a second chance to explain or redeem himself. I call foul and meet Alex’s gaze.
Since he’s the one teetering, I’ll get him on my side first. That will help sway his girl. “If you saw what I saw, he’d be dead to you. If some bastard was holding Bree down and his arm pulled back to punch her, would you listen to anything he has to say?”
His body goes rigid, and the anger a man should feel over the mistreatment of his woman explodes in his eyes as he looks at Bree. She senses the protectiveness in him too from the blush simmering on her cheeks.
My words affect Seraphina just as much, and she begins shaking harder. Damn it.
Alex storms past us. “I’ll be back.”
Uncertain what he’s going to do, I don’t stop him. I don’t care.
At the end of the day, Casey’s destruction will be from me.
Bree chases after him, a deep frown lining her face. They can work out their own consciences. Mine’s clear. He dies.
I drag Seraphina to me and clutch her tight. “Don’t worry angel. I won’t ever let anything like that happen to you again. I will keep you safe.”
“I feel safe with you.”
That’s all I need to know. I will get her through this. “You are.”
“I know.”
“Do you need anything?”
“Will you stay with me for a while?”
I can’t help but smile from her simple request. As if I’m going anywhere. I kiss the top of her head. “I don’t want to be any place else.”
I step back and take off my coat. Her grin is small yet genuine as she tugs my tie. So innocent she doesn’t intend any message other than happiness rather than the flirting that motion usually means. “Let’s have some tea.”
She lights up as much as she can with her distress, and I clasp her small hand, leading her into the kitchen. At the table, I gesture to the chair closest to the oven. “Sit. I’ll get it.”
Always obedient, she drops to the seat and watches me wide-eyed as I twist the knob to heat the kettle and grab the mugs and bags. I select a cranberry flavor from a burgundy and gold tin.
While we wait, I snatch the sack with our candles sitting on the passthrough and bring out the remaining one she left for me. “Let’s light this one now, and I’ll get some more.”
